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So What are We Up Against Next Match?

August 8th, 2008 | By: Julian | 39 Comments »

This. This is what we’re up against.

Honduras is done and dusted. We beat them, and although it wasn’t a classic Azzurri performance it was a dominant one. Three points are in the bag and now we’re off to face Korea on Sunday.

But really, how much do you know about Korea? Cause I’m kinda sitting in the dark over here. I know they went pretty far ~~after cheating their way/paying the refs~~ in WC 2002, but that was the senior squad team from 6 years ago. What about these mostly under 23 guys now?

According to Wiki, this is their squad (Name, followed by club):

Goalkeepers
1 Jung Sung-Ryong Seongnam Ilhwa [Isn't this a Soul Caliber character? See pic above]
18 Song Yoo-Geol Incheon United
Defenders
2 Shin Kwang-Hoon Pohang Steelers
3 Kim Dong-Jin Zenit St. Petersburg
4 Kang Min-Soo Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors
5 Kim Chang-Soo Busan I’Park
6 Kim Jin-Kyu (C) Korea FC Seoul
15 Kim Kun-Hoan Kyung Hee University
Midfielders
7 Oh Jang-Eun Ulsan Hyundai
8 Kim Jung-Woo Seongnam Ilhwa
11 Lee Chung-Yong FC Seoul
12 Ki Sung-Yong FC Seoul
13 Kim Seung-Yong Gwangju Sangmu Phoenix
14 Baek Ji-Hoon Suwon Samsung Bluewings
16 Cho Young-Cheol Yokohama FC
Forwards
9 Shin Young-Rok Suwon Samsung Bluewings
10 Park Chu-Young FC Seoul
17 Lee Keun-Ho Daegu FC

So… yeah. Couple quick observations: Kim is a very common Korean name for men, and these clubs must be pretty poor to sell out and get bought buy Samsung and Hyundai.

None of these ring any bells to me. The biggest club here is Zenit, famous winners of the UEFA cup last term and home of Russian Euro Phenom Andrei
Arshavin. But otherwise… nothing. No huge names, no huge clubs. Except for the Soul Cali guy but that’s just in name only. On paper at least, this is an easy battle. But again, it’s always the enemy you don’t know whose worse than the one you do. Or something like that.

Our Azzurri team is so overflowing with talent, though, that I would expect us to hold our own against the likes of Brazil and Argentina (especially after how they played in their first games). One the one hand, then, I’m not too worried about this. On the other, I don’t want this game to be taken lightly just because we’re up against virtual nobodies. Even the biggest names start out as unknowns, so we have to go into this even hungrier than against Honduras. We need to play to our potential and get the forwards a bit more involved. Giovinco and Viviano had great games last time and they’ll need to have great games again. The team as a whole though needs to take it up a notch, too.

So as long as we don’t go into this like we have a divine right to win (coughlikeEnglanddoeswitheverytourneycough) we should be able to get through. I’m expecting a tougher game than against Honduras- and definitely less penalties. We need to score more in open play, and for that to happen Rossi and Acqua need to put their shooting boots on. The defence did pretty good last game -didn’t let in any goals, did they?- so I don’t envision major changes there.

Prediction: 2-1 to the Azzurri, Acqua and Giovinco getting on the scoresheet.

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Comments

Displaying the most recent 25 comments from a total of 39 comments.

Read the rest of the comments

By ilcapitano | August 8th, 2008 at 8:08 pm

And this too…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Pm4jD5kU4U&feature=related

FUCK KOREA!

Posted from United States

By Nina | August 8th, 2008 at 8:24 pm

Ale, thanks, that entire world cup was cooked as we all can agree, but I wasn’t sure what “it is all about merino” was referring to when he said he was still pissed.

By Julian | August 8th, 2008 at 10:14 pm

yoman, I wrote that on the hope that he would start. The only other player who could take his place is Rocchi but I’d love for this tourney to give the young guys experience.

By ItsAllAboutMoreno | August 9th, 2008 at 1:50 am

“but I wasn’t sure what “it is all about merino” was referring to when he said he was still pissed.”

Are you serious? Still? Christ.

Posted from United States

By mike de robbio | August 9th, 2008 at 3:48 am

can’t wait to get some well deserved, well due revenge on these guys. Forza Italia.

Posted from Australia

By Nobu | August 9th, 2008 at 6:45 am

Hi, I’m a visitor from Japan.

I mean, I’ve been roaming around the world through the internet to find something new,so don’t angry at me what I wrote on your site…

I just wanna know about the world where I can visit for making friends on the internet!

Have fun!!

Nobu.
セブ留学

Posted from Japan

By Nina | August 9th, 2008 at 10:49 am

By ItsAllAboutMoreno | August 9th, 2008 at 1:50 am

But I wasn’t sure what “it is all about merino” was referring to when he said he was still pissed.”
Are you serious? Still? Christ.

Can you scroll up and read! I was talking to alessio about a video that he posted about that game and was letting him now that I had initially asked you the question because I wasn’t sure what you were pissed about! Never mind.

By Yi Da Li | August 9th, 2008 at 11:30 am

Italian football has huge following in China. Serie A is the first pro-league ever televised in China. National team too. Many palyer have Chinese nick names.

And Chinese fans dislike Korean teams. What Koreans did to Italy in 2002 WC, they have been doing to the Chinese since 70s in Asain games - soccer, basketball, you name it. Yes, it’s a pattern.

Italy is the home team here.

Posted from United States

By Skeptic | August 9th, 2008 at 12:01 pm

To the point of carrying Italian flags, though?

Unless those were some Sino-Italians from Milan that I saw in the crowd.

Posted from United States

By Nina | August 9th, 2008 at 3:28 pm

Yi da li, Glad to hear that !

By sofia | August 9th, 2008 at 7:27 pm

i’m seriously going to try to wake up early enough because i need my revenge on the goddman korea team!! FORZA AZZURRINI, MERDA KOREA!!

Posted from Canada

By sam | August 10th, 2008 at 7:03 am

any links guys?

Posted from Switzerland

By suiseiseki | August 10th, 2008 at 7:03 am

ROSSI!!

1-0 Italia, Rossi pounces ahead of 3 defenders on a deflected shot from Rocchi to score

Posted from United States

By suiseiseki | August 10th, 2008 at 7:17 am

wow, beautiful move between two defenders from Mota and an easy finish for Rocchi, 2-0

Posted from United States

By Nina | August 10th, 2008 at 7:25 am

Where are you guys watching the game?

By suiseiseki | August 10th, 2008 at 7:29 am

I’m watching on TV in the US, NBC has a channel called Universal HD. The picture is great, but the coverage sucks. They have commercial breaks in the middle of play

Korean player just hit the crossbar with a great looping header

Posted from United States

By Nina | August 10th, 2008 at 7:38 am

Suiseiseki,i found it on msnbc.Two goal lead already! I’m so proud of our boys.

By suiseiseki | August 10th, 2008 at 7:58 am

Giovinco on the floor like he got shot in the face, don’t need any of that

Posted from United States

By t | August 10th, 2008 at 8:15 am

when did this game start? ’cause it said 4:40 on some schedule. Was that in Chinese time?Oh and what minute is it?

Posted from Canada

By suiseiseki | August 10th, 2008 at 8:16 am

75th minute now, still 2-0

Posted from United States

By suiseiseki | August 10th, 2008 at 8:33 am

Freshwater pushes hard on a solo counterattack and finds Montolivo alone in the middle, who banks it off the post and then finishes on the gaping net

Another 3-0 as this one comes to a close

Posted from United States

By t | August 10th, 2008 at 8:35 am

wonderful sweet revenge on Corea del sud

Posted from Canada

By calisi | August 10th, 2008 at 8:41 am

The game is starting up right now if you have the NBC Oympics Soccer channel (second one, first one is Basketball)

By mike de robbio | August 10th, 2008 at 8:41 am

what a game!! what a wonderful team! sweet revenge against those korean cheats. Our boys looked great. Motta was excellent as was Rossi, Montolivo, and the gang. Abate came on looking fiery for the last bast of the match. A very impressive, pacy winger.
Forza Azzurri…bring on the big guns!

Posted from Australia

By yoman | August 10th, 2008 at 8:54 am

Troppa Italia per la Corea
SuperRossi, siamo ai quarti

L’Olimpica batte 3-0 gli asiatici. Protagonista l’attaccante del Villarreal che porta in vantaggio gli azzurri e poi fornisce a Rocchi la palla del raddoppio. Nella ripresa il gol di Montolivo
http://www.gazzetta.it/Speciali/Olimpiadi/Primo_Piano/2008/08/10/ItaCorea.shtml</i?

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